Community schools coaching counts for the busy Dons

Steve Hossack
Rugby League

DONCASTER Rugby League Club’s community team have been busy coaching 150 secondary school girls aged 11-14 in tag rugby during recent weeks.

In a first for the club, pupils at Thorne Trinity Academy, Don Valley Academy and McAuley High School have received coaching from Adam Lloyd, one of the Dons’ development officers.

“We had an opportunity to work with the girls at McAuley during curriculum time, and delivered six weeks coaching at the school,” said Lloyd. “We are always looking to engage different sections of our community and we felt this was a step in the right direction.

“The girls responded well and we subsequently set up a lunch time club for the girls to continue playing after the curriculum coaching had finished. The staff at McAuley, in particular Danielle Cunningham and Barry Rothera, have been fantastic in pushing rugby league into the school and everyone at the club would like to thank them for their support.”

Lloyd added: “We work with the lads at Trinity and in passing mentioned what was happening at McAuley. Trinity had no hesitation in getting on board with the launch of an after-school club for the girls, and curriculum coaching will start after Christmas.

“Don Valley, one of our core schools, has PE staff that love rugby league. Mr Oldfield, in particular, is non-stop in his efforts at the school and new PE teachers, Sarah Brown and Lauren Worthington, both have rugby backgrounds.

“Sarah is a member of Dodworth ARLFC and is a regular on the side lines at their games. Lauren plays and is looking at being selected for the newly-formed women’s’ British Teachers’ squad in the near future.

“We delivered a curriculum package at the school and the girls were fantastic. The school has already made strides by entering the Yorkshire Schools Girls’ tag competition.”

The Dons will be looking at ways to engage more schools in the girls’ touch programme and how they can facilitate a structured girls’ competition for the New Year.

Anyone wanting further information, about what the club view as an exciting project, should contact Adam on 01302 765888 or 07506 647572 or email community@doncasterrlfc.co.uk.

Trending

&quot;Shoe rapist&quot; has sentence reduced

Yorkshire Day: 47 words and phrases you would only ever hear in Yorkshire

PICTURES: Shock as Doncaster Racecourse invaded by Nazis and covered in swastikas for filming shoot